Album Review: My Morning Jacket, Pt. 2

Hey everyone! Welcome to part two of my album review, reviewing My Morning Jacket. If you haven't read my first post on this album, feel free to check it out, and give the album a listen. With that said, let's get back into it.

In Color (7:20)

In Color brings the tone of the album down a notch, as we switch into the more developed, complicated tracks. Relatively soft acoustic guitar and Jim James singing in his low register greet the listener, with more layers of guitar slowly layering in. The focus of the beginning of this song is very lyric-based, with the first verse going like this:

You gotta admit it looks better, in color

All the rainbow appears

You gotta believe it sounds better, in color

All the spectrum to hear

There's more to life

Than just black and white

So many shades in between

Yeah, there's more to life

Than what's yours or what's mine

Oh, and I wish everyone could agree

The opening verse is rather soft and slow, and while the tempo remains constant throughout the song, later verses and choruses have significantly more energy, as the guitar and percussion picks up. In between verses, the chorus is a repetition of "in color" by James in a much higher octave, which adds another interesting layer.

Admittedly, In Color can be rather repetitive. There isn't really a breakdown, the tempo doesn't switch, and the dynamic contrast isn't particularly high following the first verse. The key does switch around the 3 minute mark, with a guitar solo after this switch that does resonate very well. The guitar has a heavy, impactful feel, as well as the drumkit, which meshes surprisingly well with a rather slow song. The song slowly gets quiet again following the solo, and fades over about a 2 minute stretch, which may seem a tad bit unnecessary.

In Color may not bring all the musicality and flair that other songs may provide, but the impact should not be underestimated. It took many listens, but In Color has, most assuredly, grown on me.

Rating: 7.25/10

Lucky To Be Alive (4:24)

Lucky To Be Alive brings the energy back into this album, injecting the obligatory pop-synth track that every good MMJ album needs. Beginning with an upbeat bass/keyboard beat, James jumps in with the first verse, talking about how things have changed, but states he feels "lucky to be alive", which is repeated numerous times in each verse, as well as every chorus. Although a tad repetitive, the energy of the song makes it alright. Each chorus has the repetition of the song title, as well as a choral group of some sort behind James, an interesting layer that creates yet more energy and positivity in the track.

About halfway into the song, we get the famous breakdown, as the layers drop off, with only a kickdrum and some light keyboard. After a few bars of this, the organ, bass, and guitar kick back in at a slower tempo, but much louder than previously in the song. A simple yet heavy guitar solo emphasizes the change as the tempo begins to accelerate, coming to a head at the end of the song.

All in all, the lyrics of Lucky To Be Alive can be a tad repetitive, but the song itself is one of the better ones on this album. A much needed infusion of brightness and classic MMJ pep.

Rating: 8.25/10

The Devil's In The Details (9:09)

Heading into the longest song on the My Morning Jacket: The Devil's In The Details. This song requires a whole lotta stamina to get through, and I don't really think it's ever worth the listen. The lyrics center around the "mall," even referencing some stores or occurrences at malls (Sephora, "finale of Stranger Things," etc.) The track sports deep(?) lyrics following the same structure for virtually the entire song, with little to no development in the backing track. The song has an extraordinarily slight escalation over the course of about 7 minutes, but never comes close to a climax that MMJ songs commonly feature. The final two minutes focus on a truly bizarre breakdown that I can't even begin to describe, so I'll let you decide for yourself.

Overall, definitively the worst song on the album, but it could be much, much worse, and it only gets better from here. Give it a listen, and see if you think it's worth the runtime.

Rating: 5.5/10

Never In The Real World (5:48)

Never In The Real World brings this album right back where it should be. James begins the chorus with only soft, clean guitar and light cymbal behind him. The band roars in triumphantly after a 1-measure break, with the classic organ, guitar, bass, and drumkit combo. James jumps back in with the next verse, with the organ, bass, and drums continuing to reinforce his lyrics.

Only after midnight

Only in a trance

Head all full of spirits

Stumbling when I dance

Never in the real world

Never could I see

Never in the real world

Was it ever up to me

Never in the real world

James' inflection on this song is impossible to describe, but it fits incredibly, and emphasizes each lyric beautifully. The instrumentals are fantastic, bringing that quintessential MMJ vibe back into the album.

A ringing guitar solo begins around the 2-minute mark, transitioning back into the melodic theme of the song, with the drumkit slowly accelerating and eventually settling back into that heavy, semi-slow feel that pushes the song along with it. The guitar and organ beckon the track out.

On an album packed with quality music, it's difficult to make an argument for a song better than Never In The Real World. Fantastic song in every way.

Rating: 9.25/10

Out Of Range, Pt. 2 (4:27)

I haven't been able to find a pt.1 for Out Of Range, but nevertheless, this song speaks for itself very well. Out Of Range begins with a triplet combination guitar-ride cymbal feel, with James entering with well-executed lyrics that fit remarkably well in the complex-yet-delicate instrumental. The chorus begins a beautiful escalation, with a choral group behind him:

Choosing misery over love

Where's it end? What's enough?

I could hear you so clear and plain

Then all a sudden, out of range

Out of range

Out of range, out of range

As James begins the fourth line of that chorus, the drumkit switches back to a more 4/4 feel, with the guitar maintaining that beautiful triplet feel along with it. Light organ continues the song's development. Another chorus continues the escalation, with lyrics that may be hard to decipher but resonate with an odd beauty:

Hear the signal, feel the power Reconnected like a flower To the еarth, from your hands In the heart of the land Choosing misеry over love Where's it end? What's enough? I could hear you so clear and plain Then all a sudden, out of range

The conclusion of this chorus beckons in more electric guitar, and after some repetition of out of range, a strong guitar solo enters. James continues the repetition over it once, and the solo begins to escalate along with the voice behind it. The song reaches its triumphant climax without excessive energy, but with an incredibly delicate balance.

I don't think Out Of Range, Pt. 2 gets the recognition it deserves. It may not be the best song on the album, but I don't think the vibes it gives off are matched anywhere else. A strong contender for my favorite song on the album.

Rating: 9/10

I Never Could Get Enough (8:16)

I Never Could Get Enough seems to be James' version of a love song. Similarly to The Devil's In The Details, this song never truly escalates; it just meanders along on the same level, with a slightly more positive tone.

I eat from the palm of your hand

Asleep on my shoulder, your cheek against my chest

My heart pumps away for your loving touch

You know I never, I never could get enough

The main difference between this song and The Devil's In The Details is that this song at least evokes some sort of feeling when you listen to it. Probably not worth 8 minutes, and probably not worth listening to consistently, but if this is the second worst song on the album, there isn't too much to hate about it.

Rating: 6/10

Least Expected (4:39)

I saved two of the better songs on this album for last. Beginning with Least Expected: yet another song that I don't believe gets its due. This song gives me the jazziest vibes on the album, and is probably the song I would describe as the most mellow. Beginning with low organ and James, the song addresses the problems of the world, and the solution, as usual: love, or more specifically, one love.

People say

We got our own problems to solve

Here at home

How do we show them

That they are wrong?

There's only one home

Only one earth, we share it all

Only one love

The song picks up noticeably with that same jazzy organ and guitar, with some added drumkit. The song never escalates drastically, but it doesn't really need to, and the good vibes continue throughout the entire track. We finally reach the chorus around 1:30 through:

You gave me love when I least expected

Reunited with what I'd lost

Not quite on the top tier of songs in this album, but definitely worth the listen, and a wonderfully executed track overall.

Rating: 8/10

Penny For Your Thoughts (4:47)

This song took a bit to grow on me, but it definitely did, and I think it's a great song to finish off this album review. Beginning with a bang backed by solid guitar, bass, and organ, James enters with the first verse:

Baby, here's a penny for your thoughts

I ain't got one more cent to my name

So, let's a hear what ya got

If you get restless

Think about going out for a walk

Take time to enjoy it

It might be all you got

Following this verse, the song shows you just why people enjoy MMJ: the unmatched good vibes. The chorus has a similar choral backing to Never In The Real World, which goes shockingly well with the distinctive voice of Jim James.

A penny

In the well, long gone

A penny

On the ground, in the sun

Make a wish

Heads up

Heads up

Heads up

You need to listen to this song in order to grasp the power behind how James sings those lyrics. Everything about this song, from the distortion of James' voice to the organ to the backing track, does a fantastic job of conveying classic MMJ vibes. A ripping guitar solo breaks in for a few bars, until James brings the chorus right back. The drums continue with a rather unique beat, backed by strong bass and organ. James throws himself into an extended note as the backing choral group repeats a line that cannot be deciphered, eventually ending abruptly.

Penny For Your Thoughts is a much better song than I initially thought, and continues the album's streak of solid tracks.

Rating: 8.5/10

Well, we made it! A sincere thank you to anyone who read my review, whether you agreed with me or not. Give the album a listen; My Morning Jacket is everything I was hoping for, and I can't praise My Morning Jacket enough for yet another fantastic album, one that was most certainly worth the wait.

In terms of future posts: not exactly sure what direction I want to go with this blog. I'm considering more MMJ album reviews considering they make up about 75% of my music taste right now, so let me know if that sounds interesting. Also, feel free to let me know if you have music that you're really enjoying, or would like me to give my opinion on. If you have ideas as to what else you might enjoy reading about, shoot me an email at catchershort11@gmail.com, or dm me on IG @e_huffman11.

Thanks again!

Emory